The present invention pertains to a novel microorganism of the genus Bifidobacterium longum, in particular to its genomic and plasmid sequence and to a method of producing polypeptides of said Bifidobacterium, respectively. The invention also relates to methods of detecting and using the nucleic acids and polypeptides.
Organisms that produce lactic acid as a major metabolic component have been known since decades. These bacteria are normally found in milk or in milk processing factories, respectively, living or decaying plants but also in the intestine of man and animals. These microorganisms, summarized under the term “lactic acid bacteria”, represent a rather inhomogeneous group and comprise the genera Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, Pediococcus etc.
Lactic acid bacteria have been utilized by mankind as fermenting agents for the preservation of food taking benefit of a low pH and the action of products generated during the fermentative activity thereof to inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria. In addition, lactic acid bacteria have also been used for preparing a variety of different foodstuff such as cheese, yogurt and other fermented dairy products from milk.
Quite recently lactic acid bacteria have attracted a great deal of attention in that some strains have been found to exhibit valuable properties to man and animals upon ingestion. In particular, specific strains of the genus Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium have been found to pass the gastrointestinal tract in a viable and live form without getting destroyed in the upper part thereof, especially by the impact of the low pH prevailing in the stomach and be able to colonize the intestinal mucosa, with their temporary or sustained maintenance in the gut being presumed to bring about numerous positive effects on the health of the living beings. These strains are generically termed probiotics.
EP 0 768 375 discloses such a specific strain of the genus Bifidobacterium, that is capable to become implanted in the intestinal flora and may adhere to intestinal cells. This Bifidobacterium is reported to assist in immuno-modulation, being capable to competitively exclude adhesion of pathogenic bacteria to intestinal cells, thus supporting the maintenance of the individual's health.
In view of the valuable properties particular strains of lactic acid bacteria may provide, there is a desire in the art for additional lactic acid bacterial strains that are beneficial to the well being of man and/or animal. In addition, a more detailed information is desired relating to the biology of these strains, in particular as regards the interaction with the hosts, the phenomena of passing different environmental conditions in the gut as well as having the capability to adhere to the intestine's mucosa and eventually the involvement in the enhancement of the immune system and defense against pathogens, which information will allow a better understanding of these mechanisms.
Consequently, a problem of the present invention is to provide substantial data about bacterial strains that exhibit properties beneficial for man and/or animals.